Recently, Morgan Stanley Capital International Inc. (MSCI) published its environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings report, ranking China CITIC Bank No. 1 among the top 10 banks in the world with a rating of BBB.

MSCI is a well-known index provider in the US. MSCI indices are among benchmarks most widely used by global portfolio managers. Of the world’s top 100 asset managers, 97% are MSCI clients. In 2018, 234 China A-shares were officially included into the MSCI Emerging Markets Index and MSCI All Country World Index. MSCI conducts, on an annual basis, an ESG study of all the globally listed companies included into its indexes, with relevant databases, analytical tools and models established. Due to the objectivity, impartiality, practicability, reference, flexibility and openness nature of study results, MSCI ratings are an important reference for investors when making equity investments, thereby affecting their investment decisions.

Sustainability information disclosure of listed companies has attracted ever-increasing attention from investors at home and abroad. Sustainability has also become a core development concept globally recognized and followed by governments and companies.

In 2018, CITIC Group announced “Coexistence and Sharing” as its brand positioning and “Shaping a Better Future Together” as the brand proposition. It focused sustainability concept implementation on three fronts – market, society and environment – to create more new possibilities together with all stakeholders.

 China CITIC Bank, which received this recent rating recognition from MSCI, has created “new green possibilities” in the implementation of sustainability concept. China CITIC Bank supported, through green credit, local waste disposal companies in Dalian, with 326,600 tonnes of wastes treated in a harmless way. In Zhengzhou, it supported, through green credit, the Jialu River ecological management project, helping to directly preserve the habitats and inhabitants in and outside the river. The project is the largest of its kind in the city, covering a total area of 1,023.9 hectares. 

When putting the concept of sustainability into practice, CITIC Group subsidiaries focused on giving full play to their professional advantages. Besides China CITIC Bank, CITIC Securities innovatively introduced green securities to support the development of circular economy and low-carbon economy. CITIC EnviroTech launched a charity campaign called “A Health Check-up for the Rivers” in partnership with local environmental, technology and education departments to promote advanced green technologies and advocate green concepts. Resource and energy companies such as CITIC Resources and CITIC Pacific Mining have taken strict measures to control emissions, improving resource utilization efficiency and reducing the impact of production activities on the environment.

CITIC Group’s series of sustainability-focused innovative projects and green practices are the embodiment of the commitment to its “Coexistence and Sharing” brand positioning. CITIC Group’s businesses span a variety of industries including finance, resources & energy, manufacturing, engineering contracting and real estate. In 2018¸ CITIC Group landed on the Fortune 500 list for the 10th consecutive year, ranking No.149.